This application is related to and claims priority from Japanese patent application No. 2001-242200, incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure of a roof-side portion of a hardtop-type motor vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a roof-side portion 10 which includes a front pillar 12 has a door-opening surface 14 around a door opening 16 formed in a side body of a vehicle. A roof-side weather strip 18 is attached to the door-opening surface 14. When a vehicle door 20 is closed, a seal is formed between a door glass 22 in a fully closed position and the door-opening surface 14. In addition, a pillar weather strip 24 is attached to a center pillar to form a seal between a vertical edge of the door glass 22 and the center pillar. In the drawings, reference numeral 26 designates a window glass secured to a rear part of the side body.
Generally, mouldings are attached along the roof-side portion 10 to improve an appearance around the door opening 16. FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose one example of such mouldings. As shown, a moulding 28 is attached to the door-opening surface 14 which extends inwardly of a roof-side surface 32 of the roof-side portion 10, and the roof-side weather strip 18 is attached to the moulding 28.
The moulding 28 is composed of a glossy metal plate. A main portion 30 of the moulding 28 is arranged along a lower end of the roof-side surface 32 of the roof-side portion 10 so as to cover an outside surface of the roof-side weather strip 18. An inner portion 34 of the moulding 28 is placed under the door-opening surface 14 and is screwed thereto. A projection 36 is formed along an end edge of the inner portion 34 of the moulding 28. The roof-side weather strip 18 is held in position by fitting the projection 36 of the moulding 28 in a groove 38 which is formed at about a widthwise center of the weather strip 18. The inner portion 34 of the moulding 28 serves as a retainer for attaching the roof-side weather strip 18 to the roof-side portion 10. The roof-side weather strip 18 thus arranged is bonded to the door-opening surface 14 on the inner side of the moulding 28 with a double-sided adhesive tape 42. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 44 designates an opening trim attached around the door opening 16.
The metal moulding 28 for attachment along the roof-side portion 10 has, however, problems that the configuration and dimensions thereof cannot be selected freely, and accordingly, the appearance around the roof-side portion 10 is not much improved with the metal moulding 28. In addition, the bending work of the metal moulding 28 is complicated. Under these circumstances, it has been demanded to provide a roof-side garnish having a width capable of covering an outside surfaces of both the roof-side weather strip 18 and the roof-side portion 10, which is readily produced and assembled, and ensures an improved appearance therearound.
Furthermore, the conventional structure of the roof-side portion using the mouldig 28 as a retainer, has the following problem. Namely, in some types of vehicles, the roof-side surface 32 of the front pillar 12 does not always have a constant height from an outside surface of the door glass 22 in the longitudinal direction thereof. In one example of such vehicles, as shown in FIG. 1, a lower end of the roof-side surface 32 of the front pillar 12 is flush with a rear upper end of a fender panel 40. With this arrangement, as shown by two-dot chain lines in FIG. 2, the roof-side surface 32 of the front pillar 12 gradually rises from the outside surface of the closed door glass 22 towards the lower end thereof. Consequently, the distance S1 between the roof-side surface 32 of the front pillar 12 and the outside surface of the closed door glass 22 enlarges, and a level difference S2 is formed between the main portion 30 of the moulding 28 and the roof-side surface 32 of the front pillar 12. This level difference degrades the appearance around the door opening 16, and, if this level difference is large, it may cause the generation of wind noise.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved structure of a roof-side portion of a motor vehicle, which ensures an improved appearance therearound, overcomes the conventional problems such as the level difference between a roof-side portion and a closed door glass, and exhibits good sealing properties between a roof-side weather strip and a door-opening surface of the roof-side portion.
A structure of a roof-side portion of a motor vehicle in accordance with the present invention includes a door-opening surface which defines a door opening in a side body of the motor vehicle, a roof-side surface which extends from the door-opening surface towards a roof of the motor vehicle, a roof-side weather strip which is attached to the door-opening surface, a roof-side garnish composed of a synthetic resin, which covers the roof-side surface and of which a lower part extends downwardly of an outside end of the door-opening surface, and a retainer which is attached to the door-opening surface inwardly of a door glass in a closed state so as to face the lower part of the roof-side garnish in a width direction of the vehicle body. The roof-side weather strip is attached along the door-opening surface between the retainer and the lower part of the garnish such that a base portion of the roof-side weather strip is bonded to the door-opening surface.
With the present invention thus arranged, the roof-side garnish composed of a synthetic resin is apart from the retainer, and accordingly, the roof-side garnish can be readily molded with freely selectable design and with good productivity. In particular, the synthetic resin garnish can be freely colored as required. The attached roof-side garnish covers the outside surfaces of both the roof-side portion and the roof-side weather strip in close contact therewith without any occurrence of level difference therein.
Other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification.